Dyan
The Lands of Civil War Geography and Climate The Kingdom of Dyan is a large, and harsh land, covered in snow for most of the year. A large, snowy plain dominates the realm, with several large rivers crisscrossing across it. It touches the borders of the Grand March in the east and Averistra in the southwest. Several large mountain ranges separate it from the rest of Nyronide, and of the various realms, Dyan has the least in common with the others. Political System Dyan is a land of divided loyalties. Although the King in Therrin has official dominion over the entire realm, many parts of it are in open rebellion, and others are loyal to the King in name only. The current line of succession is questioned, and at least three other families claim to be the truest line to the last generally accepted ruler. There are countless duchies and provinces in Dyan, each ruled by lords and dukes, although many of them are essentially leaderless. The long period of civil war has left many noble houses empty, and many more castles in ruin and disrepair. In their place, many small mercenary bands have taken residence among the ruins of the castles and in the towns of Dyan, and offer their services to the townsfolk. Known to the common folk as the Swords of Dyan, they are hailed as heroes and saviors. However, the nobles do not like them, or trust them and many drive them out of their lands whenever they try to enter. The newest royal family in Dyan, the Arkhans, are generally well liked by the people of Therrin, as well as many of the lesser noble houses. However, there is still significant opposition coming from the larger noble houses, although most have accepted the new King's authority. For now. History of the Realm The history of Dyan is a brutal one, filled with conflict and war. From the time the first Bernic men came from the east, strife has lived in Dyan. Named for the first king to rule in the kingdom, Dyan has only had short interruptions of peace, between their long periods of essentially civil war. The first king had two sons, each of whom claimed the throne upon his death. Thus began the Brother's War, which lasted nearly thirty-five years, and only ended with the death of the elder brother at the hands of his own men after the disastrous Battle of Cracked Lake. War came and went and came again in Dyan. Things would have gone on that way for many more years, if the Averistran empire had not imposed its own will upon the country. The animosities and old hatreds did not die away under Averistran rule. Rather they were redirected towards the new interlopers and for the next one hundred years, rebellions and insurrections broke out again and again. These rebellions culminated in the ambush of Ivan Dirassa, known as the Giantsbane, the son of the emperor of Averistra. With his death, the empire fell into unrest and, in the tumult, Dyan threw off their oppressors. However, left to their own devices, the Dyanese once again fell into infighting, and a long period of war tore the newly freed nation apart. The Kings of Therrin had no real control of their kingdom for nearly one-hundred and fifty. Finally, the last royal family, the Merrins, were able to unite the various fractured parts of the realm into the fold, and a period of peace followed, the longest since the coming of the empire. Only fifty years ago the last Merrin died, leaving a few claimants to the throne. The strongest claim belonged to the Arkhans, and since they claimed the throne, they have been trying to follow in the Merrins' footsteps, by using peaceful means to bring the different families back into union with Therrin. The process is slow, and often met with setbacks, some violent, some more or less peaceful. The People of Dyan Due to the harsh conditions of the realm, and the near constant wars, the population of Dyan has never been terribly high. Farming is still able to be done, but only strong and hearty crops survive, making the process more difficult. As such, the percentage of people who live as hunters is proportionately much higher in Dyan than elsewhere in the Heartlands. Religion is important to the people of Dyan, but many of the common folk have a distaste for Istra, thinking her too southern for their tastes. Many of the commoners worship Bern, and there is a strong following of the Primals throughout the realm. Magic is seen as a gift in Dyan, and the Red Wizards are seen as great men across the entire realm. The people of Dyan are extemely xenophobic, and after the first migration entered the realm, they have excluded all outsiders, of every other race. The Averistran men forced them to open their borders, but this did not change their ways. Now that they are on their own once more, the borders of most of the provinces are closed to outsiders. A few of the more southern and eastern provinces are more understanding, especially as they profit the most from trade with the rest of the Heartlands. As long as a traveler speaks Dyanese, he is able to get by relatively well in these outer provinces. The only races given much time in Dyan are halflings, in the southern provinces, and dwarves, in the provinces that border the mountains. Dwarves make their homes in the mountains of southern and eastern Dyan, and will often trade with the people of the plains and valleys below. Aside from these, Dyan is almost exclusively human.